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In case of an emergency…Your health plan covers emergency medical care when you need it. But when should you go to an emergency room? Many times people go to emergency rooms when they really don’t need to, which means they have to wait a long time while other people with real medical emergencies are being treated. Don Thieman, MD, associate medical director for CareOregon, explains that medical emergencies are when you need medical attention right now to prevent loss of life or permanent health damage for you, your child or your unborn child. They can include possible heart attacks, loss of consciousness, broken bones, severe burns or serious bleeding that doesn’t stop.
“That’s when you call 911 or go to the emergency department,” Dr. Thieman says. But for other conditions, such as the common cold, a mild earache, sore throat or a toothache, call your primary care provider (PCP) to request a same-day visit. Or, an urgent care clinic, if you have one available, is a good alternative. “Your doctor knows you, you won’t have to wait in an emergency room, and you won’t take up room in the emergency department that’s needed by other people with serious medical emergencies,” Dr. Thieman says.
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